World Vision Donates to Ministry of Health

World Vision Malawi (WVM) has donated assorted medical supplies to Ngabu Rural Hospital, pledging to continue with its noble task of promoting the health of mothers and children in the country.

A symbolic donation of the consignment was made to Ngabu Rural Health Centre in Chikwawa where items worth 11 million Kwacha were donated. This is part of 84 million worth of other pharmaceuticals that are being distributed to various districts in Malawi.

Presenting the donation, WVM’s Advisory Council Member, Dr. Lucy Kachapira said the organization was pleased to be associated with provision of quality health services through the donation and thereby improve mothers and children’s health in the country.

Similar donations were made to Balaka, Ntcheu, Salima, Mchinji, Dowa and Ntchisi.

“So far, money amounting to K84 million has been spent on these donations in all the districts mentioned which will likely see many children and women benefiting. We are proud to be a partner of the government of Malawi,” she said.

A health practitioner and Teacher herself, Dr Kachapila went on to stress that WVM has greatly contributed towards development of the health sector.

“We have also built a number of Under 5 clinics, trained Health Surveillance Assistants and raised malaria awareness on top of several initiatives that have improved people’s lives and prevented child deaths”, she said.

Each year, World Vision provides over US$15 million of Vitamin A tablets that are distributed to all children in Malawi during the Child Health Week.

Where necessary, the organization also facilitates health workers to deliver this essential service to children in the remote and hard to reach areas of the country.

In line with the organisation’s newly launched campaign on ending child marriage, Kachapira called on people of Chikwawa district to refrain from marrying off girl children, saying the behaviour fuels complications when it comes to giving birth.

Chikwawa District Hospital Officer (DHO), Dr. Stalin Zinkanda commended WVM for the support, noting that Ngabu Rural Hospital serves a large population from the surrounding areas, with insufficient resources, a development which compromises delivery of quality health services.

“This hospital serves a population of about 150,000 people with very few staff members despite having few members and no functional ambulance,” he lamented.

Zinkanda advised management of Ngabu Rural Hospital to ensure proper management of the medical supplies in a bid to maximise their reach and thankfulness to the partners that support World Vision.

Senior Chief Ngabu said it was the responsibility of everyone in community to safeguard the donated materials, assuring that there would be close supervision to ensure that there was no abuse.

Some of the medical supplies WVM donated included, a dorpla for monitoring pregnancies, 24 plasters for casting Plastic of Paris (POP), clutches for kids, six gynaecological sets, 500 laboratory test tubes, stethoscopes and others.